Sunderland have received an £18 million bid for Lamine Kone from Everton , according to reports - as the Toffees seek a replacement for John Stones.

Stones’ £47.5 million, six-year switch to Manchester City was confirmed on Tuesday morning, after his name was included on a 21-man squad list the Etihad club submitted to UEFA ahead of their forthcoming Champions League campaign.

Everton will now step up their pursuit of a replacement - or two - with Kone and Swansea City’s Ashley Williams on their radar.

Kone only joined the Black Cats in a £6 million transfer from Lorient in January, and played a major part in his new club’s Premier League survival.

David Moyes is determined to keep the Ivory Coast international.

But the Daily Mail claim Kone was in Liverpool on Monday, when he was photographed with a Toffees fan.

Sunderland and Everton remain some way apart in their valuation of the player, with reports in France claiming a previous bid of £15.3 million has been rejected.

That has now been increased to £18 million, say reports, with a five-year contract understood to be on offer.

Ronald Koeman wants to pair Williams and Kone, and will test Sunderland and the Swans’ resolve just days before the start of the new season.

The Mail also claims Moyes has asked if any deal for Kone might include players in part-exchange, so threadbare is his first-team squad.